Medical devices such as vascular and endovascular grafts and stent-grafts can include fabric components that function to promote sealing of the device to the lumen or structure in which it is implanted. Insertion of such devices and fabric components into target sites can require that the fabric be compressed and collapsed so as to be placed inside a delivery catheter or cannula. When such a device having a fabric component is inserted to a target site and the delivery catheter is removed, at least the fabric component is often expected to rebound to approximately its original shape, structure, and dimensions. Regaining its original shape, structure, and dimensions is important to achieve an adequate seal between the exterior of the device and the lumen or structure in which it is implanted. This is critical because any gaps or voids between the device and the implant site can prevent a reliable seal, which can lead to complications and/or device failure. The ability of such a fabric component to regain its original shape, structure, and dimensions after being compressed and implanted can often depend on the fabric having sufficient resiliency.
In some applications, medical devices comprising fabric and designed for insertion into vessels or ducts may be stored in a compressed, or collapsed, configuration for extended periods, for example, a number of months, before use. When stored in sterile packaging, such devices are secluded from exposure to ambient air. In such devices stored for prolonged periods in a compressed state and without exposure to ambient air, recovery of fabric to its original shape and dimensions can be adversely affected. In addition, some implantable medical devices can be stored in fluid media over various periods of time. Fabric components of such medical devices can absorb fluid media in which they are packaged and stored. When medical device fabric absorbs fluid media, the fabric may be lose some resiliency for regaining its original shape and dimensions when deployed.
Thus, there is a need for a fabric that can be compressed for ease of delivery to an implant site and that has sufficient resiliency to regain its original shape, structure, and dimensions when implanted. There is a need for such a fabric that can avoid the loss of performance characteristics during storage prior to use.